CK Discussion: Reply 1988 Part 1 – Family and Friendship

We have another gift especially to those who are enjoying Reply 1988. Two weeks is a long time to wait until we watch Episode 17. Together with my dearest friend, Blue, we will help ease the waiting period for all of you. Blue is always welcome to take a seat with us here at the couch just like what we did in Reply 1994. We are both excited to share our conversation.

This is the first part of our discussion where we talk about the main core of the Reply franchise – Family and Friendship. Feel free to JOIN US and let’s all have a healthy exchange of thoughts.

Leila: Hello!

Blue: OMG, it’s been so long! So excited for this chat session!

Leila: I know!! I’m so happy we have another opportunity to speak our minds. Haha

Blue: How are you enjoying the show so far? Honestly, this is the first show in 2015 (and the last) that I’ve been this obsessed about in a long time!

Leila: The length is surprisingly fun. I don’t notice the time passing. I’m really enjoying every story. though I am frustrated with Jung Hwan (Ryu Joon Yeol) right now, I understand him coz they are 18.

Blue: I enjoyed reading your blog post on Ryu Joon Yeol too!

Leila: What’s your impression for Reply 1988? TBH, since Reply 1994, I trust PD Shin and he can do anything to me now! LOL.

Blue: I do too. First and foremost, I have this complete trust and faith in Shin PD. I did have some doubts about Hye Ri at first, but now I see why Shin PD had insisted on casting her. She is Deok Sun! I can’t imagine anyone else playing that role.

Leila: PD Shin has an eye for the extraordinary. I wonder how he chooses his cast. The ensemble’s chemistry is brilliant. I feel the equality between all of them, even compared to the veteran actors. I think as a newbie, they are blessed to have this set-up.

Blue: I like that they look for whoever best fits the role, as opposed to just using star power

Leila: It’s my first time to watch Park Bo Gum coz I didn’t even notice him in Nae Il’s Cantabile as much as I did with Go Kyung Pyo. I think he fits Taek to a T. BTW, I love whoever coined the term Taektanic, that was brilliant! Haha

Blue: My heart aches for Park Bo Gum’s Taek. I was familiar with the actors face, but this is my first time seeing him in action.

Leila: Just to put everything in perspective, shall we start talking about the family & the neighbourhood? The set up is having 5 family live in the same neighbourhood. What a beautiful concept, and the family are very relatable too.

Blue: I think what is beautiful about that is because that kind of culture is now getting lost. It really awakens in you of what used to be.

Leila: Every family is represented, well-off, poor, struggling. I love how every parent strives hard to provide for their family no matter the situation. This feel so real. It was surprising to know that even my culture is similar to yours! The moment the kids started to pass food in everyone’s house, we are doing the same during special occasion. We share food to the neighbours.

Blue: That food sharing culture is honestly disappearing. People in the city likely don’t know their own neighbours. I love that there is no judgment between the families. Even the Kim family, who is now relatively well-off, has been in the same situation before.

Leila: That’s why Mi Ran is very generous, because she knows how hard it is to have nothing. I love the scene where she gave money to Sun Woo’s Mum in secret.

Blue: Yes! Or how Ra Miran’s character tried to stop Deok Sun’s mom before she actually had to plead. That was so nicely done!

Leila: True. I read a comment in the thread where they wonder why the passenger hands over their bag to the person seated on the bus. I think people nowadays don’t trust anyone to even do the same thing now. Imagine the same scenario on the bus, instead of giving your bag, you’ll rather guard it so nobody could steal from it. Sad.

Blue: That behavior was taught in Korean ethics books at school. Give up your seats for elderly, pregnant, and handicapped. In return, offer to carry their heavy bags. People actually used to follow this as they were taught too. Again, reminder of things as they once used to be…

Leila: Yeah and that is somewhat lost today. I love that even Jung Hwan’s Dad hasn’t adjusted that much and he is still simple. Remember the iron scene!? He tried to salvage it even if he literally broke it already! LOL.

Blue: Their old habit of scrimping and saving is so part of who he is.

Leila: Mi Ran (Ra Mi Ran) is a gem, I love her friendship with Deok Sun’s mom and Sun Woo’s mom. They are the friendship to beat!

Blue: I agree. Mi Ran is stealing the show in this edition.

Leila: When Mi Ran danced, I think I woke up my neighbours at 2AM for laughing out so loud!

Blue: And even her nickname “Cheetah”? Brilliant!

Leila: Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa is totally different from the past. I was used to Il Hwa’s servings that when I saw the scene where she only have 2 remaining eggs, it broke my heart.

Blue: I have mixed feelings about Sung Dong Il this time around. I love that he’s still so sharing despite not having much, but at times, he is undeniably irresponsible to his own family.

Leila: With regard to that its showed Dong Il’s heart. I realised that we have to get to know the parents to get to know their children too. Look at Mi Ran, now I know where Jung Hwan got his dancing skills!

Blue: Jung Hwan seems to be a carbon copy of his Mom in his personality as well.

Leila: TRUE! Very tough yet super good-natured!

Blue: What is your opinion on Kim Sung Kyun‘s character? Or his sense of humor (or lack thereof)?

Leila: At first, I really wondered why he acts the way he does. I have the same reaction as Jung Hwan. Hehe. But whenever I see him with Deok Sun, I find it so adorable because I think he just wants to make people around him happy especially his family.

Blue: When he first walked into the house wearing his sunglasses, I expected him to be the typical stoic Dad of very few words. And then when he started doing his gag, I was shocked because it was NOT what I was expecting! Those old gag jokes he does did bring me back memories though. They were so popular back then. I never understood that humor back then, and I still don’t now though!

Leila: PD Shin is so detailed, that’s why he has high ratings. I bet most of his viewers are all crying reminiscing about the past.

Blue: I was talking about this with my own mom about how this story is taking place from 30 years ago. And then we couldn’t believe how fast those 30 years flew by. Yes, that nostalgia this drama brings definitely succeeded in bringing in the older audience as well. It’s crazy that a cable drama is hitting 18% ratings.

Leila: Aww. Time does fly so fast. I truly love the set-up of Reply 1988 even more just by knowing how life was back then without cellphone! I really think it was the best time. I really think that the millennials missed on A LOT! I’m glad to be part of the transition though.. from analog to digital, literally!

Blue: I do too.

Leila: Let’s go back to the Sung family, I’ve mentioned Il Hwa and Dong Il who lives at the basement barely making ends meet. Yet, Dad helps other people. I understand where he’s coming from but I do feel the anguish of Mom whenever she see her husband with a useless material to bring home. The VHS tape of a baby’s lullaby (am I correct?) was ridiculous.

Blue: Yes, the prenatal tapes, which actually turned out that he was conned once again. What’s upsetting is that they got to this place in the first place because of him when he co-signed on a loan for a friend. And even then, he wasn’t considering how much sacrifices his family had to make because of this, from Bo Ra to Deok Sun to No Eul. Even though Il Hwa complained about her hubby’s low pay, as a banker, they should have been living a normal middle class life if it hadn’t been for their debt.

Leila: IMO, this is where his heart stands out like that of Deok Sun. They are just naturally giving and trusting. They easily believe in others w/o a doubt. But I’m glad they are out of debt, FINALLY!! It was refreshing to see that Il Hwa can now serve huge piles of food for her family.

Blue: Yes. And it truly shows the character of the kids as well. Honestly, if it had been me, I’m not sure I wouldn’t have resented my own Dad a little for being the cause of our hardship.

Leila: I love the part where Il Hwa was able to buy a new pair of shoes for DS or when Dad was able to give them allowance freely. I think this is very relatable because the parents strive to give the best for their children. I hope the new generation knows this value well.

Blue: I also loved that the friend actually paid back the debt too. Yes, Sung Dong Il trusted his friend to their family’s ruin, but it also showed that the friend was in fact someone who could have been trusted. It was just the circumstances..

Leila: PD Shin would not make any of his character shed a bad light. I love Il Hwa’s reaction when Dad told her everything. I’m just glad everyone will live a better life. Even Sun Woo’s family will live better since Taek’s Dad and Sun Woo’s mom are going to be an item soon.

Blue: For the Sung family, I’m looking forward to an episode that shows the two sisters truly bonding. There was that when Bora took on the older sister role during the grandma’s funeral, but I want to see a scene where DS really comes to appreciate her sister

Leila: I think that is far off now since Bo Ra left for college but the possibility is there 🙂 Sun Woo’s Mum scenes touched me the most among all the family bec she is a single Mum. Good thing Sun Woo is such a sweet son! Taek and his Dad are pretty simple, like a long distance relationship where your loved one is always not with you but you still love and care.

Blue: When Sun Woo was struggling to accept the idea of Taek’s Dad as his Step-dad, I was wondering how they would portray Taek’s reaction. That table scene was so beautifully done where Taek says he just wants his dad to be happy

Leila: I think Taek really handled it well. We only want the best for people we love. It’s time for him to have a Mum, and the combination is wonderful!

Blue: Because Taek is described as an “idiot” outside of everything but Baduk, his maturity is often overlooked

Leila: It was difficult for Sun Woo because he still hasn’t moved on from his Dad. But now, I think he can freely accept them already

Blue: Yes. And also their situations are different. Sun Woo’s Dad passed away fairly recently and he has a lot of memory of him. In contrast, Taek has seen his Dad living alone for so long. Despite so, I commend him for so readily accepting. When Sun Woo was saying goodbye to his Dad, that was such a tear-jerking scene.

Blue: It’s also nice that the drama has a busy modern working mom among the bunch. It’s portrayed as so much lonelier for Dong Ryong, but I think that is also an effect of the contrast with the others who had their mom around all the time.

Leila: I think that era was also the time where mother’s begin to have a career of their own. But the sacrifice of not being able to raise the kids or cook for them, it’s indeed a good contrast compared to other mothers. But Dong Ryong is still sweet though misguided. Now we understand why he is so naughty!

Blue: Exactly.

Leila: The friendship has always been a great experience ever since Reply 1997. What do you think is the special ingredient why it’s so good!

Blue: Part of it has to do with how they don’t sugarcoat the friendship. You just see the friends doing everyday mundane things together, but it makes it that more real.

Leila: I first wondered why Taek’s room is their headquarter. Now I know why, nobody is always there! Even Taek’s Dad don’t monitor who comes in and out of the room. Do they even lock the house?

Blue: I know, I’ve been wondering about that as well. It seems like the bottom drawer of Taek’s desk is the only thing inaccessible to others. What about you? What do you think makes the friendship here special?

Leila: When Dong Ryong called everyone late at night, they all went to Taek’s room. And I think anyone can come anytime. For me the friendship is special because they love each other like family. When someone is in dire need, nobody will hesitate to help each other, even if it means they had to fight or even dance on stage! That was truly awesome! They can even go to the police station or hospital in a heart beat.

Blue: I also enjoy the different dynamics between the friends.

Leila: Why do they treat Taek differently? I mean, they are all so caring and careful when it comes to him.

Blue: I thought of two major reasons. Despite the fact that they don’t seem that interested in baduk themselves, they seem to be very proud of that this Baduk great is their friend, their own little national treasure. And also, even in their childhood montage, Taek was the smallest kid, the last one to move in, and also getting into scrapes and cuts. Maybe from the get go, they saw him as someone they needed to protect. Of course, we know that Taek is not so weak as they seem to think he is.

Leila: For me Taek is deadly! He has a competitive nature. I think his kindness is overshadowing his capabilities. Though I find it pathetic that he can’t even manage to do small things.. like the plug. What was that?

Blue: Haha, I think that is just a parody of real life Lee Chang Ho. Talking about the childhood montage, I thought it interesting that when Taek broke his arm, the friends did different things for him. That also revealed their dynamics.

Leila: I read about the character reference. Good point about the childhood montage. All of them started to help him carry his things, Deok Sun even carried him! I think since then, they are all careful not to hurt Taek again.

Blue: Yes! Sun Woo and Dong Ryong helped carry his things. But I thought it interesting that Jung Hwan gave him ddakji tokens. That was a large amount of ddakji tokens, and probably took a long time for him to collect. Further, at first we thought Jung Hwan was just the wealthiest of the bunch. But in fact, during that montage scene, it was before his family won the lotto. And yet, he gave his prized ddakji collection to Taek. Interesting dynamics between these kids.

Leila: OMO! Does that mean, Jung Hwan will sacrifice everything he has for Taek? Well, that’s pretty much obvious right? He gave way for him by not pursuing Deok Sun.

Blue: I do think he is somehow treating it the same, but will have to learn that liking someone and giving away ddakji tokens are two very different things

Leila: That make sense, but right now the boys are totally killing us by giving way for each other and respecting each other’s feelings while sacrificing their own. I hope I made a point here.

Blue: Yup, I see your point.

Leila: The bro-code is universal. But I really like how Dong Ryong handled Deok Sun’s situation. That was very respectful to everyone involved. I’m glad Dong Ryong was there to clarify things, I hope he’ll be the one to talk to Jung Hwan and Taek too. They need his advice. Or someone better hit the guys and threat them to confess. Heh.

Blue: Oh yes, the bro-code. How do you think the public announcement of Taek liking Deok Sun affected them? Do you think Jung Hwan would have approached any different if he had known about Taek’s feelings, but he was the only one to know. In other words, he found out on his own, similarly to how Taek found out about Jung Hwan?

Leila: Interesting. I think he would still do the same no matter the case. Jung Hwan is hesitating to act on his feelings because of his friendship with Taek. I was contemplating on this too and I believe that friendship wins in this type of situation. Especially with the kind of relationship Taek and Jung Hwan have.

Blue: I agree. I know as viewers we can get frustrated, but I do respect the boys for what they’re doing. It’s probably the best way they know how from their perspective. And like you said, they’re only 18 yo.

Leila: When I read your post about the time Taek found out Jung Hwan’s feelings just through his eyes, he still asked Deok Sun out. But things changed when he saw the wallet! I was truly impressed with Taek here. But here’s the twist. Just when I thought he’d fight, unlike Jung Hwan, he backed off in the end. I think that’s an amazing display of what a man’s heart should be. When we’re young, we tend to be impulsive. On the contrary Jung Hwan is very calculative, he thinks before he acts. I don’t know if this is a good sign or a bad one.

Blue: I am still convinced that Taek would have fought for his love if it hadn’t been for the wallet. And even now, although he backed off, I’m not convinced that he’s given up.

Leila: I agree! He didn’t even hesitate but asked Deok Sun immediately after he saw the look in Jung Hwan’s eyes. That was impressive. I never thought that Taek had that in him! He is exceeding my expectation. So when he cried after calling Deok Sun to cancel their date, I felt his pain even more. That was truly heart wrenching..

Blue: Oops, haha, we were talking about friendship and we just naturally shifted to the love triangle naturally.

Leila: AHAHAH! What should we do??? The love triangle is more interesting.

Blue: Taek breaks my heart so much. I was complaining about the pace of the drama in one of my earlier posts, but that was almost exclusively because of him.

Leila: Me too. You know, even if I love Jung Hwan, Taek also have my heart.

Blue: I’m convinced that Jung Hwan is the husband, and I just want to see with my own eyes how Taek moves on and finds his own happiness too. For everyone else, whether it be the family, friends, or Jung Hwan and Deok Sun, the pace is fine.

Leila: PD Shin wants to highlight each character and Taek is very layered. I love his scenes with his Dad. Or even his scene with Sung Dong Il when they talked about losing their mother, that scene made me cry.

Blue: Yeah, so many of Taek’s scenes just get me right at my heart. But I don’t want just the bittersweet scene of Taek wishing them happiness. I want him to have found his own happiness, and I want to be 100% convinced of it.

Leila: Do you think PD Shin will be able to convince you with just 4 episodes left? GOOD LUCK dear! Haha

Blue: No, I’m not convinced. Lol

Leila: Sun Woo seemed to be the quiet type, don’t you think? He keeps secret! He’s the only one who has a GF that only Taek knows about.

Blue: Sun Woo and Jung Hwan seem to have the most guy-like friendship. They don’t say much to each other, but I think they just get each other. Remember, Jung Hwan knows about Sun Woo’s relationship too, though! Without having Sun Woo tell Jung Hwan.

Leila: OMO! Right! I forgot about that! But it was before Bo Ra and Sun Woo dated. Jung Hwan found out because he was Deok Sun’s stalker back then. LOL. Jung Hwan & Sun Woo are the top students. They are naturally brilliant!

Blue: But they also study their butt off! Don’t think I’ve ever seen a drama where the characters are seen to study as much as they do. Yes, as top students, they could have been rivals. But it never seems like that ever crossed Sun Woo and Jung Hwan’s minds.

Leila: Sun Woo & Jung Hwan wants to succeed in life because they have a family to take care of. Maybe that’s why they are studying so hard.

Leila: True! I think for the boys, they are not competing against each other. The love and respect are remarkable. Well the mother’s are not competing with each other too, so I think they just naturally feel happy about the children’s achievement as if all of them are their own. That’s truly sweet.

Blue: Exactly. Compared to some moms who always compare and measure up their kids’ achievements with each other. That’s what makes Reply 1988 so refreshing.

Leila: Growing up in the same neighbourhood made their bond strong. Each one of them knows each flaw and they still love each other for it. That is as genuine as we can get! This kind of relationship is rare and hard to build. No rivalries!! No keeping up with the Joneses type of drama. Everyone just love and share the blessings they receive.

Blue: Now that you mention it, don’t you wish we could have seen how these neighbors first met, bonded, and grew as close as they are now?

Leila: I won’t mind the concept at all. I think PD Shin should have made this a 50 episode drama! lol

Blue: Me too. I think I just enjoy watching these people live their everyday lives.

Leila: Since Deok Sun is the only girl, I like that the boys are treating her like a lady too. Although there are a few glitches, but the boys still treat Deok Sun well. I’m loving the boys because of this.

Blue: I was also going to bring this up. Yes, at times she is like any of the boys, but they still treat her differently. When things need to be cleaned up, they do it on their own. And of course they leave her out of all their boy shenanigans!

Leila: I never once saw Deok Sun cook for them! I mean, the boys even cook the ramen they always eat. Right?

Blue: They do paper rock scissors to determine who cooks the ramen, but I remember Deok Sun always puts out paper. And Jung Hwan always puts out rock. It’s like he can never win over her.

Leila: OMO! Jung Hwan is truly a sweetheart! This guy.. *sigh with frustration* Anyhow, Dong Ryong is the counsellor, why is that so?

Blue: I think the character profile says because he has so many older brothers, Dong Ryong has much wisdom about life. And seeing his advice, it seems to be true.

Leila: But he doesn’t interact with them much. Maybe it’s because he’s a gossip fodder and he is very observant that he learns from other people’s experience. Besides the fact that his parents are accomplished professionals.

Blue: It looks like there might be some age gap between him and his brothers? Seeing that they’re all gone and not living at home, it looks like. But your observations about him being a gossip fodder and his own personality probably have a lot to do with it too.

Leila: It’s ironic that Dong Ryong is always left alone but he knows more than what others ever could. I think he has the most scar among the gang. It must have been hard not having to enjoy his family the way his friends experience it.

Blue: Even more reason why his friends are so precious to him. Because they’re his second family.

Leila: I’m glad PD Shin gave him his moment! The scene with his mom surely brought tears to those who experience the same situation.

Leila: Let’s bring the focus now on Deok Sun. She is a very interesting character. Are you also one of those who thought Hye Ri won’t fit in the role?

Blue: I was a little disappointed when they announced the casting. It did make me raise my eyebrows. What about you? Did you have any preconceived bias?

Leila: I wasn’t paying attention to the casting. Like what I told you I trust PD Shin and he chooses the best ensemble that works wonder!

Blue: I didn’t think her acting was bad in Hyde Jekyll, but I wondered whether she had enough acting experience to carry a show, seeing how Reply series have a strong female role. But yes, I should have never doubted Shin PD. Lesson learned.

Leila: Hye Ri is doing so well! I love that we are getting to know Deok Sun more, even though sacrificing the love line at the moment.

Blue: For me, Hye Ri = Deok Sun now. I can’t imagine anyone else playing that role. Like Shin PD said, it was made for her.

Leila: Isn’t it the same response when Go Ara was chosen for Reply 1994? I think PD Shin see the actors differently from other people. This is his gift!

Blue: Shows how much good directing brings out the best talent from the actors. I find it upsetting when people dismiss Deok Sun as the kind, but dumb girl. True, she is not great in her studies, ranking in the bottom 30th percentile at school. But I think Deok Sun is just naive and innocent, true to her times. But far from “dumb.” I think it is true that you can’t help falling in love with Deok Sun. I adore her too.

Leila: I don’t think she is dumb as well. I don’t know why people label her like that. School rank has an advantage but it doesn’t define a person’s intelligence or lack thereof. Look at how Bo Ra views her sister. Bo Ra is intelligent but she doesn’t have what Deok Sun have.

Blue: I think viewers are also blaming her for not catching on quickly that Jung Hwan and Taek like her.

Leila: Again, what do we know at 18? Besides, the boys aren’t telling her anything, how would she know?! You cannot simply “assume” when it comes to love.

Blue: Deok Sun has high EQ. She knows how to interact with people and how to make them feel better. I also find it hilarious when she turns on her friendly voice when talking to adults, like when she was calling Mi Ok’s home.

Leila: I love it whenever Deok Sun speak formal, like when she did the interview during the Olympics. She sound so polite. Taek likes her because she takes good care of him so well. Don’t you think? I feel like Taek needs her to function in such a way. And this is one of Deok Sun’s charm. In contrast to how I think Jung Hwan feels for her. Deok Sun makes Jung Hwan happy. And that is another charm of Deok Sun. She makes people happy.

Blue: Yeah, Hye Ri nailed that interview scene. I do think that both boys like Deok Sun because they get happy when they see and interact with her. I don’t want to distinguish that between Jung Hwan and Taek.

Leila: Blue, I will respect you with regard to distinguishing Taek and Jung Hwan. We don’t want to ignite the shippers! Haha. We haven’t talked about Jung Hwan 🙂 This guy is truly charming beyond words. I think Ryu Joon Yeol can just smile all episode and I’ll be satisfied.

Blue: What is amazing about Ryu Joon Yeol is that he doesn’t have many lines. But we can tell what he’s thinking by his eyes and face. Very impressive.

Leila: I agree. He’s fantastic! I kept reading the tsundere word often. Can you elaborate what it means?

Blue: Apparently it’s a Japanese anime term to describe someone who seems cold and distant at first, but has a heart of gold. I think tsundere probably applies to both Jung Hwan and his mom.

Leila: Good point. Jung Hwan is not seen as someone who will wear pink but I think that color suits him so well!

Blue: I can’t wait for the scene where he can finally wear that shirt. About time!

Leila: Jung Hwan’s scene with his mum touched my heart. He is the type of guy who can’t express what he feels right away but he finds way to make you feel it in the best way he can.

Blue: That scene where he bought his mom chestnuts to make up for the passport episode really got me.

Leila: I also love the twist in his character. He’s the typical bad boy persona. But I like that he doesn’t have to change anything, because he’s already amazing within. You just have to peel off that cool exterior and he’s a sweetheart!

Blue: Like Sun Woo’s dad says, he just grumbles a lot. Haha.

Leila: TRUE!! The way that he takes care of Taek, and the way he reached out to his Dad.. I can enumerate more things to love about him!

Blue: In the span of the last 16 episodes, you can see how his relationship with his family has grown and improved.

Leila: I love the way Jung Hwan loves Oppa Jung Bong. Even if Oppa has failed to go to college, Jung Hwan is still proud of him. The moment he didn’t give the pink shirt, I bet Oppa didn’t expect Jung Hwan to do that.

Blue: I love the two brothers! Yes, the moment you see how disappointed Jung Bong looks, you realize that there was no request that Jung Hwan refused for his brother in the past. In Episode 2, Jung Hwan tells Deok Sun not to eat the ham in the fridge because it’s his hyung’s. But now I realize that even then, it was Jung Hwan protecting his brother’s favorite food from Deok Sun. LOL

Leila: I think that pink shirt scene fooled many! I also thought that stupid Jung Hwan gave it to Oppa.. that’s how frustrated I was when I saw Deok Sun’s reaction..

Blue: I knew Jung Hwan wouldn’t give or lend the shirt. I was disappointed at Jung Bong because I suspected him of wearing it without Jung Hwan’s permission. But alas, that was not the case either. We can never underestimate the Kim brothers!

Leila: Jung Hwan is always reprimanding Deok Sun when it comes to eating. It’s as if he is telling her to watch what she eats. Remember the cake scene during his Dad’s birthday or during the McDo scene?! He acted like Deok Sun’s boyfriend.. lol.

Leila: OMO! I never thought of the possibility that Oppa might get the pink polo in Jung Hwans’s room. See PD Shin knows a lot of possibility and he can easily twist it according to the result he wants.

Blue: But again, I think someone pointed out that there’s no way Jung Bong would have fit into Jung Hwan’s shirt too.

Leila: Anyhow, Jung Hwan is very meticulous when it comes to Deok Sun. He always notice the rice on Deok Sun’s face even way before. It just means he’s always looking at her.

Blue: He seems to always have been extra alert when it comes to Deok Sun, even before their field trip. Before he realized he had fallen in love with Deok Sun, he spent that attention on teasing her though.

Leila: Isn’t it that when a boy likes you, he teases often? That’s a very childish thing!

Blue: Yes, I thought of that as well. The strong denial when he called his friends crazy for thinking Deok Sun was cute was yet another clue.

Leila: True! I thought when he said that Deok Sun is the prettiest among the ugly girls, I was like “Of course you’d say that because for you ALL other girls are ugly!” Haha.

Blue: Of course, SW was too offended in that scene that Jung Hwan would call Deok Sun prettier than Bo Ra to catch on. I wonder what would have happened if he had confessed to Sun Woo then and there that he liked Deok Sun.

Leila: This just crossed my mind, do the boys actually notice his feelings for Deok Sun? I mean Sun Woo & Dong Ryong knows that Taek likes Deok Sun. But do they notice how Jung Hwan feels?

THAT’S ALL FOR NOW!

I will cut the conversation right here 🙂 I will just tease you all for the upcoming PART 2 of my conversation with Blue.

10 Comments

Very interesting and insightful 😀 I certainly could have used a LOT less references to PD Shin, since his decisions in Reply 1994 RUINED that show – because that decision to throw the choice of hubby out to the audience came way too late and made all the clues up to that point irrelevant. So WHAT if your bias won? He still didn’t fit everything that happened in the drama up to that point! & that was definitely verified by the writers.
PD Shin has hopefully learned from that and won’t screw this one up – so far it’s wonderful. I worry tho, because the hubby in the future is so not Taek, and there’s a theory going around that there could be a 3rd party that becomes the hubby – which I’m afraid will then ruin THIS one for me (or at least cause me to recommend only up to that point).
But the family dynamics here are really excellent – casting choices, dialogue, visuals. the sneak peek back to the past! I give the WRITERS kudos here because the dialogue shines sooo much and carries the story 😀

Aww, interesting. very much say what is on my mind.
I don\’t finish 1997. but i did like 1994 and i love 1988. It makes me reminisce the past.
It\’s the era when my parent meet each other and have me. but the atmosphere pretty much the same. My father is like Sung Dong Il, even now. he has so much love for his family, but he can\’t see anyone live a difficult life. it\’s because he takes his family for granted. that\’s why the family interaction relates to me.

the romance doesn\’t take a front seat which i really like. and i don\’t really care who end up with who, since everyone is amazing. as long as they are happy, the i am happy. two weeks is like forever..sigh!

Thank you for the discussion! I watched both of the previous dramas, and while I enjoyed them, I was very unsure about Hyeri’s casting. I was happy with the outcome of 1994, but didn’t like all the feints and misdirection to keep the husband a mystery until the end. The shipping wars ruined the online forums. I purposely stayed away because it got so nasty! This is so different. I really LOVE that the drama is about everyone in the neighborhood. I’m equally happy when the story revolves around the parents as when its about the kids. I appreciate the acting of the parents, especially the ones who are new to the series like Choi Moo Sung, Ra Mi-Ran and Kim Sun Young.

Hyeri’s personality (acting?) fits the role well. So far its not a role with a lot of emotional or intellectual range, but she didn’t ruin the drama as many expected. She’s thrown herself into the role and I respect her effort.

I hope they don’t suddenly decide to get “clever” with the husband, but I trust that they won’t. The present husband’s personality seems to be just like Jung Hwan, so if it’s not, I’ll be shocked. I like Taek too so I’d be happy with either. I haven’t heard any rumors of a third candidate. Please NO.

I always like hearing what you think, Leila, but especially happy to hear Blue again! The belectricground website domain was taken over and I thought I lost you! Wish I could go back to some of those old posts… Just grateful to know you are still out there. Of course if I visited the forum I would have seen you. 🙂 Looking forward to Part 2. Thanks!